The brother of Algeria’s longtime former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika who is accused of conspiring against the state and undermining the military went on trial on Monday alongside two ex-intelligence chiefs, reported BBC.
Said Bouteflika was a key figure among Algeria’s leadership until President Bouteflika was ousted in April following pro-democracy protests. He was widely seen as the real power behind the presidency after his brother suffered a stroke in 2013.
In February this year, nationwide protests sparked after the 82-year-old former President Bouteflika’s made an announcement that he would seek a fifth term in office. Rampant corruption in his regime triggered the pro-democracy street protests demanding his departure. The protesters also sought a complete overhaul of the political system.
Said and Generals Mohamed Mediene and Bachir Tartag were arrested in May. The charges against the trio relate to an alleged meeting between Said and his co-defendants in March. It is claimed that he met two secret service leaders,General Mediene and General Tartag, and the head of The Workers’ Party, Louisa Hanoune, and planned of declaring a state of emergency in the country and firing the army chief, General Ahmed Gaid Salah, as protests against the president were mounting.
Former Defence Minister Khaled Nezzar had revealed that Said considered declaring a national emergency and replacing Gaid Salah with a more loyal general.
Following the protests, the Algerian authorities have put several former cabinet ministers, political leaders and businessmen linked to ousted President Bouteflika behind the bars in recent months, who are now awaiting trial.
Presidential elections have been scheduled for 12 December, but protesters are continuing to demand political reform in the country. They still continue to take to the streets every Friday have as they have rejected elections under the current government. They are also demanding all of the former president’s close aides are removed from power including interim president Abdelkader Bensalah, Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui and army chief General Salah.
